Jazz Snap Blazers 13 game winning streak

[MapleLeaf]

From nba.com

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 31 (AP) -- Andrei Kirilenko had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and the Utah Jazz finally ended Portland's near-perfect December, beating the Trail Blazers 111-101 on Monday night to snap their 13-game winning streak.

Portland lost for the first time since a 100-79 defeat at San Antonio on Dec. 2. The Blazers won their next 13, including two over Utah, and were three victories away from tying the franchise record.

Portland coach Nate McMillan was attending a family funeral and not with the team to see the streak come to an end. It was just as well he missed it.

The Blazers couldn't overcome a cold stretch in the third quarter, going scoreless for almost 3 minutes and without a field goal for 4:34 as the Jazz pulled away on a 20-3 run. Portland also failed to capitalize on a huge advantage from the foul line.

The Blazers were 33-for-43 from the line, going 4-for-9 in the fourth quarter. The Blazers slowly walked off the court as streamers fell and "Auld Lang Syne'' played over the PA system.

Jazz fans were off to celebrate the new year while the Blazers were headed to Minnesota knowing their run had ended.

Kyle Korver scored 11 in his Utah debut, Deron Williams had 18 points and eight assists and Carlos Boozer finished with 19 points and nine rebounds.

LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 36 points. Brandon Roy added 17 and James Jones scored 15 off the bench for Portland.

The Blazers opened the game 11-for-15 from the floor and looked like their December roll would continue, but it all stopped midway through the third quarter after Jones hit a 3-pointer to put Portland up 71-65.

Williams hit a pair of quick pullup jumpers for the Jazz, fed Boozer for a dunk and then hit a 3-pointer during a 11-0 run that put the Jazz up 77-71 midway through the third quarter.

The Blazers went scoreless from Jones' 3-pointer with 6:27 left until Jones made a free throw with 3:30 left in the third. The Blazers went without a field goal until Channing Frye's 20-footer with 1:53 left in the period, ending an 8-0 run for the Jazz and cutting the lead to 85-76.

Blazers went without a field goal for 4:34 and trailed 87-79 at the end of three.

After an illegal screen on Utah, Roy cut the lead to 89-85, but Kirilenko answered with a 3-pointer. Kirilenko added a nice pass to Korver inside for a layup that turned into a three-point play when Korver got Frye in the air and forced the foul, then Kirilenko took a steal all the way for a dunk to put Utah up 97-89 with 6:44 left in the game.

For every one Portland scored, the Jazz seemed to score about two or three. Aldridge tipped in a miss for Portland, then Paul Millsap got a layup for the Jazz and Williams hit Korver with a long pass for a layup that fueled the Jazz fans and forced Portland to call a time out, trailing 101-91 with 4:36 left in the game.

Travis Outlaw hit a late 3-pointer that got Portland within 105-98, but the Blazers had to foul and Korver, already a hit in his first game with the Jazz, made both free throws to seal it.

Notes: Korver was traded from Philadelphia on Saturday and got a standing ovation from some fans when he entered the game in the second quarter. ... Assistant Dean Demopoulos coached for McMillan. ... Roy and Aldridge were the only Portland starters to score in double figures.

 

[Big Bid'Ness]

Thank you Utah.

 

[Pugz]

Damn I wanted them to keep winning but now the Pistons have a chance at it.
We got 9 wins.

 

[.GR]

Yeah, Hell of a good run but it had to end sometime.

 

[-Torres-]

It was a good look at the potential of the Blazers, and shows that in the future they may be the top team in NBA.